and from thence proceed to explain what is more Doubtful and Obscure And if the Divine Authority of the Writings of the New Testament be once proved that of the Old must follow as a necessary Consequence because the former gives Testimony to the latter and most of the Arguments which prove the one may be easily applied to the other Mr. N. allowes the Histories of the N. Testament to be exact and true Relations of the matter of Fact but supposes that there 's no need of Inspiration to Write a true History b Fr. p. 231 c. Engl. p. 28. c. He grants likewise that the Apostolical Epistles contain nothing but what is conformable to the Doctrine of Christ but yet that the Apostles had no need of an extraordinary Inspiration for Writing their Epistles c Fr. p. 282 283. Eng. p. 112 113. But all this while he takes no notice that these Writings were design'd by God for the Perpetual Use and Instruction of the Church and to be a Rule of Christian Faith to all Ages Which one thing if it be made out will prove their Divine Original and sufficiently distinguish them from all other Writings purely Humane where Providence cannot be supposed to have had such an extraordinary Hand in the Composure since it neither can be pretended that the Authors were the Immediate Instruments of God in publishing his Will nor that their Works were design'd for so general a Use as the Instruction of the Universal Church I shall therefore in the first place give a definition of an Inspir'd Writing and then prove that the Writings of the New Testament are truly such An Inspired Writing I take to be a Book that is writ by the Incitation Direction and Assistance of God and design'd by him for the Perpetual use of the Church The Proof of the Inspiration of the New-Testament-Writings I shall comprise in these following Propositions I. God design'd to provide a means for the preserving the Doctrine of Christ to the end of the World II. This could not be done so well in any Ordinary way or Humane means as by committing this Doctrine to Writing III. 'T is more reasonable to suppose that God would make use of this way than any other because he made use of the same means before for the Instruction of the Jewish Church IV. He has actually made use of no other way for the conveying down the Christian Doctrine that can be assign'd V. The Apostles themselves design'd their Writings for the Perpetual use of the Church and lookt upon them of equal Authority in the Christian Church as the Writings of the Old Testament were in the Jewish VI. The Age immediately after the Apostles lookt upon the Writings of the New Testament as the standing Rule of Faith to the Christian Church I think the making out these Propositions some of which need very little proof will fully prove the Divine Authority of the Books contain'd in the Canon of the New Testament and when they are made out such Consequences may be drawn from them as will silence most of the Cavils and Objections which the Author of these Letters and some others have raised against the Inspiration of the Scripture I. The first Proposition to be proved is this God design'd to provide a means for the preserving the Doctrine of Christ to the end of the World This Proposition I think any Christian will take for granted and my design at present is not to dispute with Infidels but to lay down those Principles upon which the Divine Authority of the Scriptures is built the truth of Christianity being presupposed because the Author I am to deal with professes the Belief of Christianity and yet has raised Objections against a great many of those Writings which Christians have all along lookt upon to be of Divine Authority I say therefore that no Christian can doubt of the truth of this Proposition for every Christian believes the Gospel to be the last and most perfect Revelation of the Will of God which he intends to afford to the World he believes that Christ will be with his Church to the end of the World Mat. 28.20 16.18 and that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it i. e. it shall never be so far weakned as that the Profession of Christianity should cease or the Church be perfectly deprived of the Knowledge of saving Truth Nothing further being needful for the illustrating this Proposition I proceed to the II. Proposition God could not preserve the Knowledge of Christianity in an Ordinary way or by any Humane means so well as by conveying the Doctrine of it to after Ages by Writing I do not pretend to prescribe to God Almighty what method he shall use to discover his Will to the World or confine him to any one way of doing it but thus much I think I may safely say that a standing Rule of Faith committed to Writing is liable to less inconveniencies and difficulties than any other way of conveying down Divine Truth Whereas all other ways that can be assign'd of transmitting Divine Revelation are incumbred with so many difficulties that without a constant series of Miracles they can never attain their end And therefore we can't reasonably suppose that God will make choice of any such methods to Reveal his Will by For this is to be laid down for a certain truth that God never works more Miracles than needs must nor ever suspends or overbears the force of natural Agents without evident necessity but allways uses second Causes and Humane means as far as they will go And therefore that method which offers least violence to Nature is more likely to be made choice of by God Some Men indeed are apt to think that the Hand of God can't shew it self without a constant series of Miracles but they that consider things more exactly rather judge that a continued succession of Miracles would really be a reproach to God's Ordinary Providence for often to interrupt the course of Nature must needs be a reflection upon the Wisdom that first contrived it We can imagine but two ways of God's Communicating his Will to several successive Ages without the help of Writing either Oral Tradition or making a Particular Revelation to every single Person or at least to all those whose business 't is to teach and instruct others in their Duty Now both these ways are liable to such difficulties and do suppose so many immediate interpositions of God's Power to prevent those errors which must of necessity attend them considering the present state of Humane Nature as are not suitable to the methods which God uses in Governing the World I shall not pursue this matter any further nor give a particular account of the inconveniencies to which both these Methods are obnoxious and to correct which a constant Interposition of Miracles will be necessary The Absurdity of the former has bin abundantly demonstrated by the e Dr. Tillotson's
Rule of Faith Dr. Stillingfl Defence of A. B. Laud. Dr. Sherlocks Protestant Resolution of Faith Learned Defenders of the Protestant Resolution of Faith against those Popish Writers that set up Tradition in Opposition to it and the Absurdity of the latter is evident at first sight and none but meer Enthusiasts ever made any Pretence to it But on the other side for God to communicate his Will by Writing implies nothing in it but what is Natural and Easie there is nothing requisite to continue this to Posterity but God's preserving the Writings themselves by the ordinary Methods of Providence and then men may as well learn his Will from thence as they can know the Histories of former Ages the Opinions of Philosophers the Laws of their own and other Countries from the Writings which record each of these particulars unless we will say that God cannot order a Book to be writ in as Intelligible a manner as men can indite it when they are left to themselves But 't will further appear that 't is more reasonable to suppose that God should preserve the Knowledge of Christianity by appointing a written Rule of Faith than by any other means if we consider III. That he made use of the same means formerly for the Instruction of the Jewish Church With God is no variableness and what he once approves of he does not afterward lay aside but upon some great reason Moses wrote his Law in a book by God's direction e Exod. 34.27 the Prophets appeal to the Law and to the Testimony f Is 8.20 as the only safe Guide and by which men must judge whether a Doctrine come from God or not Our Saviour bids the Jews g Joh. 5.39 search the Scriptures for in them they were perswaded and so far they were in the right was contain'd the way to Eternal Life and in all his Contests with the Jews he desired no other Vouchers for the Truth of what he said but Moses and the Prophets And 't will appear very reasonable to believe that God should use the same Method to instruct the Christian Church which he did the Jewish if we consider that our Saviour and his Apostles conform'd the External parts of their Religion to the Customs received among the Jews as much as they could being resolv'd to give no offence by studiously affecting Novelties The Two Sacraments were taken from Jewish Rites the Government of the Christian Church was framed after the Pattern of the Jewish Hierarchy the Apostles as 't is natural for all men to do being willing to retain the Customs they had been bred up in wherever the Nature of Christiany did not oblige them to the contrary From whence 't is natural to suppose that the Apostles should take care before they left the world to provide some certain means of Instruction for the Christian Church in Conformity to the Jewish which might supply their place when they were dead and gone or else they would not have been so faithful in their office as Moses was who delivered the Book of the Law to the Priests before his Decease h Deut. 31 9 26. And 't is likely the Christians themselves would expect to be provided with as good and sufficient means of knowing their duty as the Jews enjoyed or else they would have had just cause to complain that they came behind them in the Advantages of Knowledge and Instruction And that this is not a meer Conjecture but the real Sense of the first Christians is plain from the Account which the Ancient Writers give us of the occasion of St. Matthew and S. Mark 's writing their Gospels Eusebius tells us i H. E. l. 3. c. 24. that St. Matthew wrote his Gospel particularly for the use of the Jews to whom he had preached because going into other parts he would supply the Want of his Presence by Writing Clemens Alexandrinus saies k Ap Eus H. E. l. 2. c. 15. That St. Mark wrote his Gospel at the Request of the Christians at Rome who were not satisfied with an unwritten Tradition of the Word and therefore desir'd him to commit it to Writing Which St. Peter coming to understand approved and confirmed this Gospel for the use of the Church And when these and the other Apostolical Writings came into the hands of Christians there was no need of a particular Command from God to make them be received as the Rule of the Christian Faith For the Character of the Persons who wrote them the Example of the Jewish Church and the Parity of Reason why these Writings should be of equal Authority among Christians as the Writings of the Old Testament were among the Jews and lastly the Necessity of having some Standing and Settled Rule of Faith these were all sufficient Inducements to Christians to look upon the Apostolical Writings as ordained by God for the Perpetual Use and Instruction of the Church And this will further appear if we consider IV. That God has actually made use of no other way for the conveying down the Doctrine of Christianity that can be assign'd but the Writings of the N. Testament 'T is a very weak Argument to infer that things must be so because we think it Convenient they should be so This is indeed to prescribe to God Almighty and tell him he ought to have ask'd our Advice in the Managing of things And therefore tho the Arguments for the Infallibility of Tradition for an Infallible Judge of Controversies or whatever other Guide men have set up in opposition to the Scriptures were never so plausible and were as real Demonstrations as the Authors of them fancy them to be yet as long as 't is plain by Experience that Tradition is not Infallible and that there is no Infallible Judge of Controversies all these Pretences to Demonstration signify nothing for a man may demonstrate his heart out before he will be able to confute Experience And that neither the Authority of the Church Representative nor the Tradition of the Church Diffusive neither Pope nor Council jointly or separately are Infallible Guides to Christians or equivalent to the Scriptures has been made out with such admirable Clearness and unanswerable Strength of Reason by the Learned Defenders of the Protestant Cause against Popery that without further insisting upon this Point I shall refer to them for further Satisfaction and proceed to the V. Proposition That the Apostles themselves design'd their Writings for the Perpetual Vse of the Church and look'd upon them of Equal Authority with the Writings of the Old Testament The Supernatural Assistance which attended the Apostles in every thing of Moment and tending to the Edification of the Church was so Extraordinary and even their Private Judgment as men was so Upright and void of all Self-interest and Corruption that 't will very much illustrate this matter to consider what Judgment and Opinion they themselves had of their own Writings The very Design of the
Gospels shews that they were writ for the General Vse of the Church to Record the Doctrine and Miracles of our Saviour the Author and Finisher of our Faith whom all are to hear and obey And tho it were some particular Emergency that might induce the Evangelists to set about this Work which yet is to be look'd upon as a Providential Motion yet the Gospels themselves not only answer that particular End which was the first Occasion of their being writ but are of General Use and fitted to all Ages and times We have already mention'd the Occasion of St. Matthew and St. Mark 's writing their Gospels St. Luke gives an l Luk. 1.1 Account of his Undertaking himself the substance of which is That since many had written an History of our Savior's Life and Actions who wanted some Advantages of knowing the Particulars which he had he himself being exactly inform'd by those who were Eye-witnesses and Parties concern'd set about a more accurate account of these Matters to the end that every Christian who will be at the pains to read it might know the Certainty of those things wherein he has been instructed It seems from hence that committing things to Writing was in St. Lukes judgment the most certain means of Conveying the Knowledge of them to others As for St. John 't is plain by comparing his Gospel with the other Three that he had seen the Rest and approved them a V. Eus H. E. l. 3. c. 24 and therefore supplied what he thought fit which the former Evangelists had omitted that so all of them together might be a Complete Account of all that Jesus did and taught And he 〈◊〉 himself tells us that his Design in writing his Gospel was b Joh. 20.31 That men might believe that Jesus is Christ and that believing they might have life thro' his Name To proceed to the Epistles of the Apostles it must be confess'd that many of St. Paul's were written upon the particular Exigencies of the Churches to which they are directed and were occasion'd by some Disputes that were proper to those times which may be thought an Argument that they were not design'd for the General Use of the Church But yet if we consider that the Fundamental Doctrines of Christianity are admirably illustrated by them and many of the more Mysterious parts of the Gospel-Dispensation more fully treated of in them than by Christ himself because there were many things which the Apostles were not able to bear c Joh. 16.12 while he was with them and therefore they were referred to the Teaching of the Holy Ghost for fuller Instruction in such matters I say if we lay these things together we must acknowledge it necessary to add the Apostolical Epistles to the Gospels in order to the making up a Complete Rule of Christian Faith or else we shall be much to seek for an Authentick Explication of several Important Points of Christianity But of this I shall discourse more largely in the next Chapter To return to S. Paul's Epistles I cannot but observe how the Wisdom of God has made St. Paul's Style and way of Writing to be admirably serviceable to the Edification of the Church which yet if we examine it by the Rules of Criticism is far from being Regular and Exact But his free use of Digressions and those long ones too sometimes opens him a way into a larger Subject and of more General Use and does not suffer him to confine himself to that one particular Point which 't was his main Design to treat of And when we find him take occasion from every hint to explain the Mysteries of the Gospel to set forth the Excellency of it and to perswade men to live up to the Height of its Precepts this is not only a sign that his holy Soul was full of this noble Subject but is likewise an argument that the Holy Spirit Influenc'd his Pen and made him enlarge himself upon those Points which were of Universal Concern and would be for the Perpetual Benefit of the Church in all succeeding Ages A signal Instance of this you may see in that large Digression in the second Epistle to the Corinthians which reaches from the 13. verse of the Second Chapter to the 5. verse of the Seventh Where he discourses of some of the Fundamentals of Christianity with such a true Spirit of Piety and with such a powerful Force of Natural Eloquence that if we may prefer one part of that Inspir'd Teacher's Writings before another we might call this one of the most Elevated Discourses in all St. Paul's Epistles And as both the Matter of his Epistles and the Manner how they are writ discover to us that they were design'd for the Perpetual Use of Christians so we shall find St. Peter to have been of the same mind whose words justify all that I have said For he places St. Paul's Epistles in an equal Rank with those holy Writings which were on all hands agreed upon to be the Word of God Thus much his words import II. Pet. 3.15 16. where speaking of St. Paul's Epistles that there were some things in them hard to be understood which ignorant and unstable men wrested and applied to ill purposes to establish corrupt Doctrines he adds As they do also the OTHER SCRIPTURES to their own destruction which Expression of other Scriptures plainly implies that St. Peter look'd upon St. Paul's Epistles as part of the Canon of Scripture and rank'd them among those Divine Writings which were design'd for our Edification and Instruction in Righteousness and which 't was dangerous to pervert to a contrary Purpose And if St. Paul's Epistles which were writ upon the Exigencies and with Regard to the State of Particular Churches were yet still design'd to be of general Use the same may be said with much greater reason concerning the Epistles of the rest of the Apostles with aim only at this General Design to confirm those in the Faith to whom they were directed to exhort and testifie that this is the true Grace of God wherein they stood d 1 Pet 5.12 and to keep up the Remembrance of the Apostles Doctrine after their decease e 2 Pet. 1.15 as St. Peter speaks concerning the Intent of his two Epistles And we find St. John addresses himself to all Christians without Restriction and even to all Ranks and Degrees of them whom he divides into Children Young men and Fathers f 1 Joh. 2.12 13. Thus much I think sufficient to prove that the Apostles themselves design'd their Writings for the Perpetual Use of the Church and look'd upon them as of Equal Authority with the Inspir'd Books of the Old Testament I proceed to the VI. and last Proposition viz. The Age immediately following that of the Apostles look'd upon their Writings as the Standing Rule of Faith to the Christian Church Certainly next to the Apostles themselves the Age immediately following was best able to know what the
Fr. p. 280 285. that laying too great stress upon Words has bin the occasion of most of the Disputes among Christians I readily grant it has but then the fault has bin that Men have either Interpreted Scripture-Expressions by notions of Philosophy which the Holy Writers never heard of or else they have not inquir'd into the Sentiments of those times in which these Books were writ but have judged of their sense by the Schemes and applied them to the Disputes of Modern Ages as if they were writ only with a regard to the Controversies that should arise in After-Times without any respect to the Sentiments and Exigencies of the Age wherein they were written But if we have a regard only to the Genius of the Language which the Holy Writers used and judge of their Sentiments by the State of the Church in their time and by such Ancient Authors as were most likely to be acquainted with the Notions which were then generally received I don't think laying stress upon the Phrases of the Scriptures can lead us into such gross errors as Mr. N. imagines k Eng. p. 146. Fr p. 234. And without supposing this we can scarce deduce any Inferences from Scripture Texts and yet this is practis'd by the Apostles themselves who sometimes argue from Words and those too taken in their nicest signification A remarkable example of which is that Inference of S. Paul's l Gal. 3.16 To Abraham and to his seed were the Promises made he saith not And to seeds as of many but as of one And to thy seed which is Christ 3. Since God in his Providence took care that these Books should be Writ for the use of his Church and therefore gave Providential occasions for their being Written it follows that they are Compos'd in such a manner as not to exclude the use of the Natural Reason and Meditation of the Writers who Compos'd them Works of Providence are not suppos'd to exclude Humane means and we believe many things to be brought to pass by the determinate Counsel and Power of God tho they are not purely Miraculous and and meerly God's own Act and Deed but are brought to pass by second Causes as his Instruments And why then can't he give Men a Rule of Faith and Manners except the Writing be with the immediate Finger of God as the Two Tables were 'T is certain that the ordinary Operations of the Spirit do only excite and assist our natural Faculties not supersede or render them useless And even the extraordinary ones do very often influence Men's minds after the same manner as appears by S. Paul's advice to Timothy m 1 Tim. 4.14 Give attendance to Reading to Exhortation to Doctrine neglect not the gift which is in thee which was given thee by prophecy And to the same purpose he speaks in the second Epistle n 2 Tim. 1.6 And therefore tho we suppose the Authors of the Scriptures to have been Inspir'd and to have had the extraordinary Assistances of God's Spirit yet this will not exclude the use of their Natural Talents but that the Writers made use of them as far as they could be serviceable to their purpose and God supplied their defects From hence appears the weakness of that Argument which is urged by our Author and by some others against the Inspiration of the Poetical Books o Fr. p. 230. En. p. 27. of the Old Testament because they seem to be the effects of Study and Meditation and against that of the Historical Books of the Scripture p Grot. votum pro pace p. 672. Refutat Apologet. p. 722. because the things contain'd in them are either of the Writers own Knowledge or else taken from Ancient Memoirs or the Relation of others To the same purpose 't is urged against the Divine Authority of S. Paul's Epistles by Spinoza q Theol. Polit. c. 11 that they are full of Argumentation which he thinks must be the effect of S. Paul's own reason As if a Man that had a perfect Systeme of the Christian Religion infused into his mind by Revelation as we suppose S. Paul to have had did not apprehend it after a Rational manner and see the whole Series and Chain of its Principles by the help of which he could infer one thing from another But is it not a pleasant Argument against the Inspiration of a Book that it is writ in a Rational and Argumentative way which must either suppose that 't is below God Almighty to give a reason for his Institutions or else that 't was not proper for the Apostles to shew their Disciples that the Doctrines they taught them were such as might be Rationally deduc'd from certain Principles and to confute their Adversaries the same way who would not submit to their bare Authority nor believe a thing to be true meerly because they said so 4. It follows from what has bin said that 't is no Argument against a Book 's being design'd by God for the perpetual use of the Church that 't was at first writ upon some particular Exigency and with relation to the peculiar Circumstances of the persons to whom 't is directed For some of those Books of the Old Testament which were certainly design'd for the publick benefit of the Church as 't is granted by all that acknowledge any such thing as Inspiration and I don 't at present concern my self with any others I say some of the Undoubtedly Inspir'd Writings were occasion'd by the particular Exigences of those times in which their Authors lived I mean the Books of the Prophets who were all sent by God to testify against the sins which were committed in their own times And if God so order'd it that these Prophecies should be of perpetual use to the Church why may not the other Occasional Writings of the Scripture if I may so term them have been compos'd with the same Design I have already shewed r P. 19. that the manner of St. Paul's Writing does excellently answer this Intent From hence it appears that the Argument used by some Popish Writers why the New Testament cannot be a perfect Rule of the Christian Faith because several parts of it were writ only with Relation to particular Exigencies of some one Church holds as well against the Old Testament being a Rule to the Jews because a great part of of it viz. the Prophecies were occasion'd by the particular Circumstances of those Times in which the Prophets lived CHAP. II. A more particular Inquiry into the nature of the Apostolical Gifts and Inspiration HAving said thus much in general concerning the Divine Authority and Inspiration of the Apostolical Writings I proceed to examine more distinly the Assertions which the Author of the Letters hath laid down concerning the Inspiration of the Apostles and of their Writings and in order to that shall consider particularly both as to their Nature and Extent some of the most remarkable Gifts with which the
sure his Disciples would never pretend to know more then their Master Having thus considered the Cases in which the Apostles spake or writ without Inspiration I proceed in the II. Place to shew that Excepting those Cases the Apostles writ and spake by the particular Assistance and Direction of the Spirit Our Author confines the Infallibility of their Preaching and Writing to those things which they Learn'd from Christ or related as spoken by him p Fr. p. 256 257. Eng. p. 69 70. But as to the Arguments which they fram'd upon those Principles and the Consequences they deduc'd from the Old Testament here he supposes them to have used only their own Memory and Judgment tho he grants these Discourses of theirs are to be received because there 's nothing in them but what is conformable to the Doctrine of Christ and to right Reason and nothing that can lead us into the Belief of what is false or contrary to Piety q En. p. 112 131 135. Fr. p. 282 283. 224 227. This as exactly as I can gather is all the Authority he allows the Sermons and Writings of the Apostles and this indeed is as much Authority as can be given to any Humane Discourse and tho it does not exclude all possibility yet it excludes all likelyhood of error But as we look upon the Apostles to have been somewhat more than Sound Divines or Men that very well understood the Doctrine which they were to teach others so their Discourses and Writings have been always esteem'd of an higher Rank than any Religious Treatises purely Humane which however solid and true they may be are to be judged of by these Writings and are no further true than they agree with them The Scripture makes this the Characteristick of an Apostle whereby he was distinguisht from the other Inspir'd persons who were then in the Church viz. that he did not learn the Gospel in an Humane way r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 1.11 compar with ver 12. 1. v. 1 Cor. 2.10 but purely by Revelation S. Paul might have been sufficiently instructed in the Gospel by those who were Pillars in the Church ſ v. Gal. 2.6 9. so as to have been out of all likelyhood either of mistaking any part of it himself or leading others into error but we see this way of Instruction was not sufficient to advance him to the Dignity of the Apostolate and therefore Christ himself made a particular Revelation of the whole Gospel to him t v. Ubi supr 1 Cor. 11.23 Eph. 3.3 4. that he might not be Inferior in any respect to the chiefest Apostles And since the Gospel was communicated to him and the rest of the Apostles by Divine Revelation only that they might teach it to others whether by Word or Writing with the greater assurance and certainty and without any danger of error their Discourses which were design'd for the Instruction of the Church must be the effects of this supernatural habit of Christian Knowledge which God infus'd into their minds I have shewed in the former Chapter u P. 29. that the same Assistance accompanied the Apostles in their Writing which did in their Preaching and therefore shall now speak of these two indifferently and shew what kind of Authority the Apostles claim'd in either of them S. Paul says w 1 Cor. 2.10 that God has revealed the deep things and the Mysteries of the Gospel to the Apostles by the Spirit which probably were the same things Christ told his Disciples they were not able to bear while he was with them x John 16.12 Such was particularly the Doctrine of the Cross which S. Paul's Discourse chiefly relates to in that place y 1 Cor. 1.18 c c. 2.2 These things S. Paul says z Ib. ver 13. they spoke and taught others and that too in the Words which the Holy Ghost taught them Where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehends their style a Ver. 1. 4. as well as their Arguments and shews there 's a greater regard to be had to the style of the Apostles than our Author b v. loc supr citat p. 35. is willing to allow and even for that very Reason which he alledges as an Argument why 't is not dictated by the Spirit viz. because 't is plain and without any Affectation of Wit or Learning and conform'd to the style of the Old Testament For this style however Negligent and Careless our Author may think it c Fr. p. 233. En. p. 145. the Apostles used by the direction of the Holy Ghost as appears from this place It follows immediately Comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signify Explaining Illustrating d v. Grot. in locum i. e. proving one Divine Revelation by another the Revelations of the New Testament by those of the Old At last the Apostle concludes e Ib. ver 16. We have the mind of the Christ and therefore ye are to hearken to us and receive what we say tho in many things not agreeing with the Principles of Philosophy or Worldly Wisdom which the Apostle in the Verses before f 1 Cor. 1.20 c. c. 2.1 c. had undervalued in comparison of the Gospel In all which Discourse S. Paul plainly ascribes his and the rest of the Apostles Preaching to the Instructions the Holy Ghost gave them without making any restrictions and particularly that part of it which consisted in drawing Consequences and bringing Proofs from the Old Testament Again we find the same Apostle threatning those that despise his Advice as not despising man but God who gave the Apostles his holy Spirit g 1 Thes 4.8 that they might teach with uncontroulable Authority And I think we may fairly conclude from hence that St. Paul expected all his Precepts and Instructions should be submitted to not meerly as coming from one of the Governours of the Church but as having something more then Humane Authority and being derived from the Spirit of God For what he says in this place tho it immediately respect only those Advices which are contain'd in the foregoing part of the Chapter may by parity of Reason be applied to all other Apostolical injunctions for as the words are general and do not specify that the Apostle deliver'd these particular Rules by an extraordinary Revelation more than any others which he elsewhere gives so neither are the Advices such in their own Nature as require a greater degree of Inspiration to deliver them than the other Exhortations and Commands which are every where to be found in the Apostolical Writings From whence I conclude we ought to look upon those Writings as a Divine Rule of Faith and Practise and that he who despises or undervalues them despises not man but God who gave his holy Spirit to the Authors of them And how far our Author may be guilty of this fault
the whole College of Apostles agreed in came with greater Authority and Evidence of it's being God's Will than what was deliver'd by one Apostle only Just as we are more assur'd of the Truth of those Doctrines which are often repeated by different Writers in the Holy Scripture than of those which are only mention'd by one because the Authority of several Writers adds weight to the matter it self and the comparing them together prevents our mistaking the sense of the Scripture concerning it whereas what is but once mention'd is more liable to Ambiguities and the Sense of it more easily mistaken From what has been said I hope it appears that there is sufficient reason why Inspir'd persons should consult each other and that this is no prejudice to their Inspiration 2. The second Objection is ſ Fr p. 249. Eng p 58. That the Holy Ghost which the Apostles received on the day of Pentecost had not taught them all they ought to know so far was it from rendring them at first dash Infallibe so that St. Peter needed a Vision to learn that he ought not to scruple Preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles I do not know any body that ever yet maintain'd that the Spirit once for all instructed the Apostles in all things that were needful for the Discharge of their Office 'T is certain several things were reveal'd to them by Degrees and in proportion to the Exigences of the Church and this Author himself owns as much when he tells us t Fr. p. 252. Eng. p. 62. That the Apostles had MANY Immediate Revelations and DIVERS Heavenly Visions And as for the Descent of the Holy Ghost upon them in a visible manner on the day of Pentecost the chief Design of that was publickly to Authorize them to preach the Gospel and to Initiate them into the Body of Christ's Church which was then founded and to do this by more solemn Tokens of the Divine Presence among the first Professors than any other Institution could ever pretend to according to what the Baptist foretold u Matth. 3.11 and our Savior promis'd x Act. 1.5 that John indeed baptized or admitted Proselytes with the bare Ceremony of Water which had been a Rite made use of by the Jews long before upon such occasions but the Apostles should be Baptized or admitted into the Church with the Holy Ghost and with fire 3. The third Objection is that a Fr. p. 248. Eng. p. 57. When the Dispute arose whether the Gentiles that were Converted were to be Circumcised or not tho St. Paul and St. Barnabas were against this yet their Authority was not sufficient to put to silence the Judaizing Christians which was a sign they did not look upon them as Infallible To the same purpose he urges b Fr. p. 249. Eng. p. 58. The Believers that were of the Circumcision contending with St. Peter for going to men uncircumcised and conversing with them c Act. 11 2 3. To begin with the latter part of the Objection to the instance of St. Peter I answer that the Converts of the Circumcision were throughly perswaded that the Laws and Institutions of Moses were of perpetual Obligation and therefore 't is no wonder if at first they were surpriz'd to see any of them laid aside and a door open'd to let in the Gentiles to the same Privileges with the Jews and to take away that Discrimination which the Law makes between the Jews and the rest of the world d Exod. 19.5 6. Deut. 7.6 And since this Action of St. Peter's touch'd them so nearly in their Privileges and Prerogative or at least was contrary to the Traditions they had received from their Teachers and held as sacred as the Law it self * Matt. 15.2 Mat. 7.3 Joh. 18.28 't is no wonder they were not easily satisfied about it till they examin'd the reasons upon which St. Peter acted in this matter And the Apostles never laid so much stress upon their Infallibility as to require their Disciples to believe them upon their own word as Mr. N. himself e Fr. p. 283. Eng. p. 112. observes or without demanding a reason why they did so But if we should grant all this Objection contends for certainly 't is but a weak Argument that the Apostles were not Infallible because some new Converts f See Mr. Dodwel of Schism ch 19. sect 18 19. did not think so who 't is plain did not well understand the Principles of their own Religion and had not as yet intirely submitted to the Authority of the Apostles And by the same reason we may argue that our Saviour was not Infallible which yet Mr. N. himself looks upon g Fr. p. 257 260 281. Eng. p. 70 75 109. as a certain Truth because his Disciples seem not to be satisfied sometimes of the Truth of what he sayes h Matth. 16.22 and demand of him a reason i Matth 15.15 of those Doctrines of his that look'd like Paradoxes to them A great deal of what has been said will hold much stronger in the case of St. Paul and Barnabas k Act 15. for the admitting the Gentiles into the Church without Circumcision must needs be thought a great Violation of the Law of Moses by those that look'd upon it to be of perpetual Obligation in the Church of God To which may be added that St. Paul and Barnabas had not so clear and indisputable an Authority as the rest of the Apostles not being of the number of the Twelve whose Commission was so solemnly seal'd and ratified on the day of Pentecost And they who were of a different Perswasion from them would in all likelyhood lay hold of this Objection against their Authority as Men are willing to take advantage of any Exception to an Authority that is against them And accordingly we find in after times when the Judaizing Christians found St. Paul zealous in asserting the Liberties of the Gentile Converts and teaching men every where to Apostatize from Moses as they term'd it l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 21.21 that they did what they could to lessen his Authority and represented him as far Inferiour to the rest of the Apostles and therefore that no great stress was to be laid upon his Doctrine which forc'd him to vindicate himself and his Apostleship at large Galat. 1. and 2. Chapters 4. The fourth Objection is m Fr. p. 250. Eng. p. 60. St. Peter's Dissimulation at Antioch for which St. Paul reproved him as he tells us n Gal. 2.11 And here I agree with our Author that St. Peter acted contrary to his Judgment and dissembled his Opinion for he that had been warned by a Vision o Act. 10.28 that he should not call any man common or unclean and but just before had a great hand in making the Decree at the Synod of Jerusalem p Act. 15 7. whereby the Gentiles were made Members of the Church upon
Histories committed to them But that Learned Man seems not to have attended to the whole Scope and Design of Josephus in that place For that Historian does not say that the Writing of the Publick Histories was committed to the Chief Priests as well as the Prophets but that the Care of the Publick Records was committed to them * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And if we take an Intire view of that Section we shall find that Josephus speaks not only of the manner how the Histories of Former times were written but likewise how they were Preserved after they are writ The Care of writing them was committed to the Prophets as the other Passage assures us not Excluding those Priests who had the Gift of Prophecy the Preserving them he here tells us was particularly the Business of the Priests who likewise exactly Preserved the Genealogies of their Nation and renewed them when the Copies were Impair'd and in danger to be all lost by Wars and other Accidents and therefore were lookt upon as the Keepers of the Publick Records Whence is it that the same Author usually calls the Holy Writings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 m Antiq. p. 73. G. p. 140. A. p. 176. G. The Books laid up in the Temple under the Custody of the Priests Which was agreeable to the Customs of the Neighbouring Countries for so Philo Byblius n Ap. Euseb Praep. Evang. l. 1 says of Sanchuniathon that he Collected the Phenician Antiquities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the Records laid up in their Temples But to return to our Subject From those many Instances I have given which shew 't was a Custom among the Jews for the Prophets to be their Historians we may conclude that the Historical Books of the Old Testament were writ by Men who had the Gift of Prophecy and Inspiration and tho we suppose them to be but Abridgements of the larger Commentaries of the Prophets yet they are really of as much Authority as those very Annals would be which were writ by the Prophets themselves if they were extant For if an Epitome be faithfully made and I suppose Mr. N. does not question the Fidelity of the Sacred Historians whatever is contained in it hath the same Authority and Credibility with the Original Writing So that if we lay all these things together the Character of the Compilers of these Historical Books the Matter and Design of them the Authority of the Jewish Canon and above all that of Christ and his Apostles these are sufficient Inducements to believe these Books to be Written by God's Direction for the Benefit of the Church And this I think is enough to give Divine Authority to an Historical Book tho neither the Matter nor Words of it be indited by Inspiration As for the History of Esther Mr. N. has taken much pains o Fr. p. 164 c. Eng. p. 249. and shewed a great deal of Skill in the Rules of Dramatick Poesy and all to prove that this Book looks like a Fiction and a piece of Tragi-Comedy He indeed tells us that he affirms nothing in this matter and does not intend to make himself a Party in the Dispute But a man would hardly take so much pains to make anothers Opinion look probable if he did not think it so himself But whatever his own Sentiments be to shew himself Impartial and that he is resolv'd not to conceal any thing that may be said on the other side he Critically remarks p Eng. p. 169. Fr. p. 252. that one Condition necessary to be observ'd in Dramatick Writings is wanting viz. Vnity of Time and Place which must needs seem a considerable Objection to so nice a Judge But besides this there 's another Objection which I confess has more Weight with me and seems quite to turn the Scales and make his Remarks appear meer Fancy and Fiction viz. that the Feast of Purim was really observed by the Jews in memory of the Deliverance recorded in this Book And 't will be a hard matter to make me believe that a whole Nation should keep an Anniversary Feast as 't is certain they did q 2 Macâ— 15.36 without some real Ground for it And if this was not the true Occasion of it as he seems to insinuate r Eng. p 170. Fr. p. 253. I desire either he would prove the Feast to be as very a Fiction as he supposes the History is or else inform us how the whole Nation of the Jews came to be so far impos'd upon as to observe it for till he does one of these two things I shall still be of opinion that the one was a Real Feast and the other a True History But tho this Play does not succeed he is resolved not to give over but try his Skill upon another Subject and turn the Book of Job into a Tragi-Comedy Å¿ Fr. p. â—â—4 Eng. p. 99. And I confess this Book is made according to the Rules of Poetry and with all the Beauties of it too as an Ordinary Reader may easily discover under all the Disadvantages of a Translation And therefore methinks our Author who understands the Rules and Decorums of Poetry so well should not be offended with those Pathetic Strains that are in the third Chapter and some other places of that Book for tho we should grant that they would not become a grave Philosophical Discourse yet I believe he might have found several Speeches in the Old Tragedies written with as much Vehemence and Warmth And yet the severest Philosophers commended those Writings and look'd upon them as containing very useful Instructions of Life And I see no Reason why God might not in this as well as other things suffer the Holy Writers to comply so far with their own Genius and the Humour which then prevail'd among the grave Sages of the World as to deliver Great and Weighty Truths in Poetical numbers and Expressions both to recommend them to the more Curious and Nice Readers and to convince the Wise men of the World who are apt to despise the Plainness of the Scriptures that there are to be found as Elevated Thoughts and as Noble Expressions in the Holy Writings as any Greece or Rome can boast of and therefore when they use a plain popular Style 't is not out of Necessity but Choice and because they rather aim at the Instruction of the ignorant than to gain Applause from the Learned t V. Orig. c. Cels p. 275 371 372. Ed. Cant. But still men perhaps will be ready to say that these Expressions may do well in a Profane Poem but are not so proper for a Sacred one and do not become the mouth of a Person eminent for Piety and Patience In answer to which I would desire the Objectors in the first place to consider that the Substance of the 3d Chapter of this Book which so much offends Mr. N. u Fr. p. 275. Eng. p. 100 when 't is taken in
the Publick Worship both in the Jewish and Christian Church ever since they were made i See 1 Chr. 6.31 they were always us'd at the time of offering the Sacrifices which was the most solemn part of the Jewish Worship k 1 Chr. 16.40 41. Ecclus. 50.16 17 18. Ezra restored this Service assoon as the Foundation of the Second Temple was laid l Ezr. 3.11 The Evangelists tell us m Matt. 26.30 Mark 14.26 that our Saviour and his Disciples Sung a Hymn after the Paschal Supper which Learned Men suppose to have been the same Collection of Psalms which the Jews used upon that Solemnity St. Paul Exhorts the Colossians that the Word of God should dwell richly in them and especially recommends the Psalms to their use n Coloss 3.16 The Visions in the Revelations where Saints and Angels are represented Worshipping and Praising God do certainly in many things allude to the Customs o See Rev. 4. ver 4 5 6 7. c. 5 8 -8.1.-11 19 which the Jewish and Christian Church at that time used in their Publick Service which two Churches then differ'd very little in the manner of their External Worship And in these we find the Heavenly Devotions consist altogether of Hymns and Songs of Praise p Rev. 5 9.-14.3.-15.3 which is a good Argument to prove that the Singing of Psalms was the most considerable part of the Christian Worship in that Early Age q V. Cl. Dodwel c. Grot. c. 4. as it had formerly been of the Jewish I deny not but in that Inspir'd Age they used several Hymns of their own Composing r 1 Cor. 14.26 Euseb H.E. l. 5. c. 28. l. 7. c. 30. yet 't is certain from the Testimony of many Ancient Writers ſ See Dr. Hamm. Preface to his Paraphr upon the Psalms that David's Psalms still were most in use and in highest esteem And this is one Argument of it viz. because all the Hymns Compos'd by the Ancient Christians have been lost time out of mind except very few which can be attributed to nothing so probably as to the Difuse of them by reason of the more Frequent and Constant Use of the Book of Psalms And 't is not likely the Christian Church would have been beholding to the Jewish Temple for their Forms of Worship especially when we consider how much more Noble a Subject for Praises and Hymns the Christians had by the Clear Revelation of the Gospel if they had not been perswaded that God design'd the Book of Psalms for the perpetual Use of the Church to be both a Pattern and Treasure of Devotions at once to Enlighten our Minds and Warm our Affections and teach us to Pray and Praise God with the Spirit and with the understanding also And if what I have said prove that this was God's Intent in stirring up Holy Men to make these Excellent Pieces of Devotion I think 't will be sufficient to satisfy any Reasonable Man that the Book of Psalms deserves a place among the Inspir'd Writers without Nicely determining how great a share the Holy Spirit had in making these Composures and how much is to be ascribed to the Authors own Study and Meditation Since 't is very hard in any Case to Define the manner how God's Grace does Cooperate with Man's Indeavours and the Spirit like the Wind to which our Saviour compares it t John 3.8 does sufficiently discover it self by its effects tho we can't Comprehend the Manner of its Operation And 't is no wonder that should not be easily Intelligible by us who are Ignorant how our own Soul acts within us and after what manner Outward Objects make an Impression upon it But saith Mr. N. z Fr. p. 228. En. p. 23. the Imprecations which are found in many of the Psalms can't proceed from the Good and Merciful Spirit of God and consequently the Authors of those Psalms could not be Inspir'd This being the only Considerable Objection against the Psalms to take off all Prejudice against the Use of so Excellent a Book I shall indeavour to give a distinct Answer to it in these Three particulars 1. In the First place therefore I desire it may be Observed that many of those Expressions which seems at first Sight to import Wishing Mischief and Destruction to others do really wish no more harm to them than that they may be Disappointed in their Enterprises and Vndertakings For example that Expression a Psal 70.2 Let them be b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ashamed or Blush and c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Synonymous with the Former and rendred by the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. all which words signify Shame Confounded that seek after my Soul means no more but this Let them be fill'd with that shame and Confusion of Face which follows a Disappointment Now since 't is lawful to Oppose the Designs of our Enemies and to use all honest means to prevent their bringing them to pass it can be no harm to wish and pray that they may be Unsuccessful in their Attempts against us And in this Sense are all those Imprecations in the 35th Psalm to be understood 2. Secondly let it be considered that all those Expressions which are commonly Translated by way of Imprecation may be as fitly rendred by way of Prediction and we may Read They shall be Ashamed instead of Let them be Ashamed Nay this way of Interpretation is more agreeable to the Letter of the Hebrew where the words are not in the Imperative but in the Future And if we take these Expressions in this Sense then they imply no more than a Denouncing God's Judgements against Wicked Men if they still persist in their Wickedness And thus to Denounce the Terrors of the Lord against Sinners is so far from being a piece of Uncharitableness that 't is the highest Act of Charity we can shew to them and the most effectual means to awaken them to a sense of their Condition and what they are to Expect except they Repent And if this Interpretation be true as nothing hinders but it may then all Mr. N's Objections c Ub. supr against the 109th Psalm vanish immediately for according to this Interpretation it only contains a Prediction of the Miseries that were to befall the Person whoever he was under whom Judas was Represented And the Denunciation of the Psalmist against his Family will be liable to no other Exceptions than that Prophecy of Isaiah against Babylon d Isaiah 13.16 Their children shall be dash'd in pieces before their eyes their houses shall be spoiled and their wives ravished And St. Peter himself seems to have understood this Psalm in no other sense for he tells us e Acts 1.16 that the Holy Ghost in this Psalm spoke before or PROPHESIED f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the mouth of David concerning Judas But besides this it was an Usual way of Speech among